AFCON 2025: It is better — Koulibaly picks between winning AFCON and qualifying for World Cup

Senegal national team captain Kalidou Koulibaly has said that he prioritises winning the African Cup of Nations over qualifying for the World Cup, as he made a case for the prestige of the competition. 

The 34-year-old won the competition in 2021. The Teranga Lions are one of the favourites to win the competition this year, and they started AFCON 2025 like a freight train, beating Botswana 3–0.

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Speaking ahead of their next game in the competition against DR Congo, Koulibaly dubbed AFCON one of the most beautiful competitions in the world and encouraged media practitioners to help propagate the tournament. 

"The Africa Cup of Nations is one of the most beautiful competitions in the world,” he said, per Tribuna. “Maybe some people don't respect it, but I respect it deeply. 

“I know what a victory at the AFCON represents. I would never trade winning the AFCON for qualifying to the World Cup," the 34-year-old centre-back said.

"I also hope the press will help shine a light on this beautiful competition. Despite everything that has happened before, we must put it aside and play football and think about the joy of life that is unique to Africa. It is up to us, Africans, to defend our competition.”